Pertussis Resurgence: School Nurses as a Safety Net for Children

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Vaccine-preventable disease incidence declined for a decade before increasing in the late 1980s.
• Pertussis (whooping cough) outbreaks disproportionately affected vulnerable infants and children.
• Factors contributing to pertussis risk include waning immunity, pathogen genomic changes, and insufficient adult herd immunity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To equip school nurses with knowledge to identify pertussis early.
• To enable school nurses to prevent pertussis transmission through prompt referral and treatment.
• To inform school nurses about the signs and symptoms of pertussis.

Main Methods:

• This article reviews the epidemiology and clinical presentation of pertussis.
• It highlights the challenges in early pertussis diagnosis due to symptom overlap with common respiratory infections.
• The focus is on empowering school nurses with diagnostic and preventative information.

Main Results:

• Pertussis presents diagnostic challenges due to its similarity to bronchitis and upper respiratory infections.
• Infants and children remain at high risk during pertussis outbreaks.
• School nurses play a critical role in early detection and intervention.

Conclusions:

• Early recognition of pertussis by school nurses is vital for controlling outbreaks.
• Understanding pertussis transmission dynamics and clinical signs is essential for school health professionals.
• Strengthening herd immunity and vaccination efforts are key to preventing future pertussis epidemics.